Method of heating and gasifying low-gravity fuel.



H. B. LOVEJOY. METHOD OF HEATING AND GA S|FY|NG LOW GRAVITY FUEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 19|6.

1,2OL977, v Patented ()ct.17,1916.

WITNESSES:

% flow/1R0 5. LOVEJOY MzM A TTORNEYS HOWARD IB. LOVEJOY, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

METHOD OF HEATING AND GASIFYING LOW-GRAVITY FUEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Original application filed October 18, 1915, Serial No. 56,631. Divided and this application filed May 3,

1916. Serial No.95,282.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, a citizen of theUnited States,-residing in Seattle, in the county of King and State of \Vashington, have invented a new and useful Method of Heating and Gasifying Low- Grravity Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of burning low gravity fuel in internal combustion engines, and is in the na ture of a divisional application on my application for fuel mixing and. gasifying devices filed October 18, 1915, Serial Number 56,631, the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings being the same as illustrated in the application above referred to and constituting one operative form of device that may be used in carrying out the method hereinafter described.

The object of this invention is to effect a thorough gasifying, atomizing and mixing of low gravity fuel prior to its entrance into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine whereby such fuel will be readily ignited and will be entirely consumed within the cylinders with high efliciency and without the formation of undue amounts of carbon.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a View in vertical midsection of a device embodying the invention and Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal cross section on broken line 2, 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings which will be briefly described and throughout which like reference numerals indicate like parts the numeral 3 indicates the outer wall of a fuel mixer that is preferably constructed with an integrally formed inner wall 4 spaced within the outer wall to form an annular passageway 5 therebetween through which heated exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine (not shown) may becaused to pass.

The device is provided with a cover plate 6, secured thereto by set screws 7 and threaded for the reception of a pipe 8 that is directly connected with the fuel inlet port of an internal combustion engine. The bottom side of the casing is threaded for the reception of a fuel inlet pipe 9 that leads directly from a carbureter, (not shown) and the sides of the outer wall 3 are provided at diametrically opposite points with bosses 1O HOWARD B. Lovnzror,

that are threaded for the reception of pipes 11 and 12, one of the pipes as the pipe 11 being directly connected with the exhaust the pipe through which the exhaustzgases escape into the atmosphere.

An annular ring or washer 14 is secured within the upper portion of the device by inserting the peripheral edges of such washer in suitably formed notches in the wall 4 and then clamping the cover plate securely on. top of it. A plurality of depending brackets 15 are secured to the washer 14 and serve to support a circular deflector or target 16 in a concentric position within a mixing chamber 17 that is formed by the walls 4. The deflector 16 is of considerably smaller diameter than the mixing chamber 17 and is located in a plane at right angles to the axis of the mixing chamber at a point about half, way between the top and bottom thereof.

The lower end of the chamber 17 is formed with converging or conically shaped walls 18, herein shown as disposed at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and within which are provided a plurality of perforations 20 that communicate with the chamber 5 and serve to direct a plurality of small jets of exhaust gas upwardly against the central portion of the deflector 16.

A screen 21 of relatively fine mesh 'is interposed in the passageway between the mixing chamber 17 and the fuel supply pipe 8 that leads to the engine to prevent the pas- .sage of particles of solid matter to the cylinders, such screen preferably having its edges secured between the washer 14 and the brackets 15.

In carrying out my method an apparatus having a heating and mixing chamber, as for instance the device hereinbefore described, is connected with the fuel supply pipe of an internal combustion engine between the engine and the carbureter, and a low grade of fuel as crude oil is admitted to the carbureter and is drawn through the mixing chamber to the engine. As the engine runs the heated exhaust gases from the engine are caused to circulate around the mixing chamber, thus heating the walls of such chamber to a high temperature, and at the same time a small amount of the exhaust gas is admitted under pressure to the mixing chamber in such manner that it thoroughly mixes with the low gravity fuel and completely atomizes and gasifies such fuel before it is taken into the cylinders of,

chamber in any manner that Will cause it to thoroughly mix with the crude fuel.

The amount of exhaust gas admitted to the mixing chamber is relatively small in proportion to the amount of fuel that passes through the chamber, such gas serving to atomize andgasify the crude fuel, thus increasing its efficiency without diluting it to any appreciable extent.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of mixing low gravity fuel for use in an internal combustion engine which consists in passing low gravity. fuel from a carbureter through a heated mixing chamber and directing fine jets of exhaust gases from the engine into the mixing chamber to gasifv the fuel.

2. The method of mixing low gravity fuel for use in an internal combustion engine which consists in passing low gravity fuel from a carbureter through a heated mixing chamber and directing exhaust gases into the mixing chamber to gasify the fuel.

The method of mixing low gravity fuel for use in an internal combustion engine which consists in inserting a mixing chamberbetween an engine and its carbureter, directing hot exhaust gas from the engine against the walls of said mixing chamber and admitting a small amount of said exhaust gas to said chamber in a plurality of fine jets to atomize and gasify the fuel.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of April, 1916.

v HOWARD B. LOVEJOY.

Witnesses:

E. B. HERALD, F. C. MATHENY. 

